Best Cake I've Never Eaten

On January 20 of this year the Pleasant View Baptist Church just a couple of blocks from my house burned down. Well nearly 7 months later a group of workers from churches across the state are in town to help the members of that church build their new building.

Our church is helping to support our brothers and sisters of Pleasant View Baptist by providing supper for the workers tomorrow night.

Paula volunteered to help with the food for the supper by making a dessert.

She looked at the things she had in her pantry and decided that with a trip to the grocery store for just a few items she would be able to make pineapple upside down cake. Which is probably my favorite cake dessert of all time. German chocolate cake runs a close 2nd but pineapple upside down takes the cake.

She asked me if I it would bother me if she fixed it. I told her "no" it would not bother me. There's no way I could even consider having a piece of it because of my new gastric system.

I must tell you that the two cakes turned out to be probably the best cakes she's ever made. They looked so great and smelled so wonderful. They were absolutely the best cakes I've never had.

I'm sure that the men who will include a slice of my wife's pineapple upside down cake tomorrow night for supper will be more than blessed by its deliciousness. Even though I couldn't have any of it I'm so grateful that they turned out so well.

Another Pet For James

Last night Paula and I went to see James play his last game of the season, before playoffs, for our church softball team. When we got there he surprised us with the newest edition to his menagerie of pets he has. It's a 7 week old Shih Tzu puppy which he has named "Sadie" (he says the name is subject to change).

The tiny little pup became our responsibility while he played the game. Paula watched over the tiny little canine holding it inside her light jacket to keep her warm.

The pup is now the sister of James other dog, Brody, a rather large and clumsy male boxer. It will be interesting to see how two dogs with such a difference in size learn to get along with each other.

We'd like to welcome Sadie ( or whatever her name turns our to be) to our pet family. You can't see her too well in this picture but she's tiny enough to fit in James' glove. She's also asleep. But take my word for it; she is a cutie.

Outdoor Blessings

One of the great things about being a Christian and a member of a church is the brotherhood that reaches out to help you when you need it but don't expect it.

Over the last month while Paula and I have been having our surgeries our church family has been praying for us and asking us if there is anything we needed. There really wasn't anything we needed directly in regard to our surgeries or anything like that. However there have been several things around the outside of our home that have needed some attention.

There were some piles of weeds pulled out of our front flowerbeds that needed to be picked up and hauled away, some hedge clippings in the backyard that needed to be cleaned up, and a couple of shingles on our roof needed to be replaced or nailed back down.

Yesterday one of our church deacons who is also part of our church's local missions ministry came and picked up the weeds and the clippings. Our next door neighbor came over and helped him as well. No one even asked him to help. He saw that someone was doing something in our yard and came over to help.

Our neighbor is a Christian man who goes to Pleasant View Baptist Church here in town. He is a kind soul and has a wonderful reputation of showing Christ's love to others through his Christian service.

Once the clippings were collected we were asked if there was anything else that could be done for us. Paula asked if it were possible for someone to come and cut down the 4 hedges that were around our deck. They have grown way too large and she wanted them cut down.

Today about 5 PM or so I heard a chainsaw out back. Once again our outside helpers were back. In no time they had the hedges and some other plants down or trimmed back away from our deck. It was wonderful. At the same time another man from church came and fixed the shingles on our roof.

What a wonderful blessing it is for us to have such tasks done for us. We had planned on hiring someone to come and do them. Thanks to a church deacon, our church local missions ministry and a very kind Christian neighbor we no longer have to worry about it.

Glory be to God for working through his people to meet needs we never expected to be taken care of for "free". Never in my life did I think that having weight loss surgery would result in such wonderful Outdoor Blessings.

Getting To Know Me

It's been a week since my last so I thought it was time that I start posting again.

First of all I want to give thanks and praise to God for being with me during my surgery and hospital stay. I had very little difficulty coming out of the anesthesia and little pain from the surgery itself. I could move in and out of bed to go walking with relative ease. Adjusting in the bed was a nuisance most of the time but barely painful. I used the pain killer button mostly to help me sleep. I also got a lot more sleep during my stay than Paula did during hers. I guess because I didn't have as much going on.

I had to stay an extra day because of some concern with my kidneys but God even took care of that. When the focus of my condition became whether the kidneys were working like they were supposed to God turned them on like Niagara Falls. Enough said about that.

I just want to let everyone know that even though it may appear that my surgery was "routine" there were elements of my experience that confirmed to me without a doubt that God was there with me in that hospital room watching over me the entire time.

I've been home from the hospital since last Thursday about noon. During that time I've realized that I'm on a sort of "gastronomic honeymoon" with my new stomach pouch.

I've had to come to terms with exactly how much fluid it will accept and how much makes it upset or bloated. I've learned to slow down and sip all my liquids. I have quickly learned that my pouch is now the ruler of my diet and eating habits. If the pouch isn't happy; no body's happy.

I can really only describe the feeling of an "unhappy pouch" to be like when you get a stomach virus and you wish you could get sick just so you feel better. Only the solution for this is some Pepcid or just waiting it out and going slower next time.

The song that has been going through my head is the one from "The King & I" called "Getting To Know You". The lyrics go like this: Getting to know you. Getting to know all about you. Getting to like you. Getting to hope you like me."

That's the way I feel about my newly arranged digestive tract. I'm trying to be patient and learn how "we" are going to work together to help me reach my weight loss goal. It was a little shaky the first couple of days. But as some time has passed and I've learned a few preliminary things I'm pretty sure this it the beginning of a "beautiful friendship." It has to be there's no turning back now.

"Statue" Song Had New Meaning

Being that it is 4th of July weekend I thought it would be appropriate to ask our church music pastor if I could sing the song "Statue of Liberty" in this morning's worship service.

The song which was written by Neil Enloe, and recorded in 1976, is a gospel music standard. It honors Lady Liberty as a symbol of Freedom for all Americans and the cross of Calvary as a place of redemption for all Christians.

I sang it at the very beginning of the service. I was very nervous because I hadn't rehearsed it very much during the week and I wasn't sure how much strength I'd have in my singing voice since I have been on nothing but liquids for 4 days.

My timing was good and I pretty much hit all the notes the way I was supposed to. As I usually do during my solos I did my best to sing to individuals instead of the entire congregation. I looked around at my church family and friends and tried to "connect" with them. I wanted to convey through my voice and expression just what singing this song meant to me on this particular day.

When I finished the song I received the customary applause but something else happened. As I walked off the platform the members of the congregation started standing up. They were honoring the song with a standing ovation. Their action was not on account of my singing. I have been in an arena, a church, and an outdoor concert where the gospel trio, The Couriers, performed the song and received a well deserved standing ovation. My presentation was not in the least bit worthy of such an honor.

The congregation was recognizing the song's tribute to our country and it's glorifying of Jesus Christ for the gift of the cross. It was a very touching moment.

You see, the surgery I'm having tomorrow is a major crossroad in my life and in my relationship with God. It is the ultimate turn away from my sin of gluttony; which is to say putting my desire for food above God in my life.

At the start of 2008 I would have never ever imagined I would be taking this step. I was totally against it as a matter of fact. But as I have discovered God's will for my life I have come to identify the need to repent and turn away from sin.

If my sins were not already paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ through his work on the cross I would not be in the place I am in my life right now. I would not be seeking to turn away from the sin of gluttony by the actions I'm taking. I would still be lost in my sin.

The reason I am being liberated from one of my devastating sins is because I am a spirit filled born again child of God. I'm a born again child of God because Jesus died for my sins on the cross. The cross is the emblem of God's continuing liberation of me from sin. It is my Statue of Spiritual Liberty.

That fact is more real to me in my life now than it ever has been. That's what I wanted to tell my church family through my song this morning. I truly believe that based on what happened in that sanctuary the Holy Spirit helped me do just that. Thank You God for allowing me to give Glory to You.

This is my last post before I go into the hospital for weight loss surgery. I just wanted thank everyone in advance for their prayers and kind words. I will be back posting as soon as I feel better. It shouldn't be more than a week. See you then. God Bless.

The "Food Fight" Begins

Yesterday I started 3 days of a "full liquid" diet in preparation for my surgery this coming Monday. This preparation is a bit different from Paula's because she was on "clear liquids" and only for two days. I will be on "full liquids" for 3 days and then "clear" for 2.

So far I've had several ready to drink protein drinks and my favorite has been the vanilla creame flavored "Oh Yeah". I had a grape flavored one that I like as well.

It's been a tough couple of days for me in that I was really tired, hungry and in a bad mood at times. I guess I'm just going through a period of adjustment; and example of things to come.

I'm also in a time of "mourning" over the foods that I know I'm going to miss because I won't be able to eat them post surgery and those I'm not going to be able to have for a long time. But this is all part of the process of repenting from my "worship" of food and quelling my desire to eat it. It will now take it's place as a part of my life not be a "god" in my life.

This is part of my goal to glorify God with my life. One of the biggest parts of achieving that goal is to establish Him as the only one I worship and honor as Lord of my life. To do that several things must be "dethroned"and put into the proper priority. Food and my desire for eating is one of the "biggies" but there's other battles I'm going to have to fight as well.

But for now I'm going to concentrate on my own personal "Food Fight."

A Birthday Message

My Darling Paula,

Today is your birthday but I can't help but feel that I am the one who has been given the gift. Other than my relationship with God by Salvation through His Son, Jesus, having you as my partner in life is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

You have loved, supported, encouraged, and taught me so much over the last 12 years that I will never every be able to thank you enough.

You have helped me become the man I am today. Together we are walking God's pathway toward becoming who He wants us to be. I am blessed beyond anything I could ever imagine to have you by my side.

You ARE the LOVE OF MY LIFE. I will Love You Always & Forever.

Your Husband,

Ron